Mitochondrial toxicity induced by drugs may be a part of the desired therapeutic effect (e.g. mitochondrial toxicity induced by cancer drugs), but in most case mitochondrial toxicity induced by drugs is an unwanted effect. Mitochondrial toxicity can markedly increase glycolysis to compensate for cellular loss of mitochondrial ATP formation by oxidative phosphorylation. This can result in increased lactate plasma levels, which if excessive results in lactic acidosis, which can be lethal. Type A lactic acidosis is primarily associated with tissue hypoxia, whereas type B aerobic lactic acidosis is associated with drugs, toxin or systemic disorders such as liver diseases, diabetes, cancer and inborn errors of metabolism (e.g. mitochondrial genetic defects).
Many known drug substances negatively influence mitochondrial respiration (e.g. anti-psychotics, local anaesthetics and anti-diabetics) and, accordingly, there is a need to identify or develop means that either can be used to circumvent or alleviate the negative mitochondrial effects induced by the use of such a drug substance.